The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 3 – Missouri State 2
Records: ORU (2-1) – MSU (1-2)
Location: Hammons Student Center (Springfield, Mo.)
 
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Behind double-doubles from Bryanne Soares and Kaia Dunford, the Oral Roberts volleyball team rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Missouri State in five sets (21-25, 25-20, 14-25, 25-21, 15-10) Sunday afternoon inside the Hammons Student Center in Springfield, Missouri.

The Golden Eagles concluded play at the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational with a 2-1 mark and had middle blocker Sakira LaCour and outside hitter Trinity Freeman named to the all-tournament team. Freeman led ORU with 47 kills and 52.0 points on the weekend, while LaCour racked up a team-best 22.0 blocks and a .323 attack percentage.

For the second straight match, Soares registered a double-double after dishing out a team-best 29 assists and scooping up 15 attacks. Dunford led the team with 17 digs and added 14 kills for her first double-double of the 2022 campaign. 

Freeman led the team in kills for the third consecutive contest after totaling 17 on the afternoon. LaCour joined Freeman and Dunford with double-digit kills on the afternoon, finishing with 10. The senior also recorded a match-best nine blocks.

On the defensive end, Jeslyn Spencer (15), Chloe Salcedo (14) and Breanna Rivas (12) each tallied double-digit digs in the win. At the net, freshman Kedron Burk came away with six blocks.
 
Trailing 8-4, the Golden Eagles scored four of the next five points to draw within one, 9-8, in the opening set. The Bears responded with seven of the next 10 to take control of the game as they went on to win 25-21. ORU never led in the opening set.
 
Freeman gave ORU their first lead of the afternoon, 1-0, with a kill to open the second set. After the Bears used a 7-3 run to even the score at 18-18, the Golden Eagles answered with a 7-2 stretch to claim the set, 25-20. Freeman and Dunford led the way for ORU in the set with a combined nine kills.
 
In the third, the Golden Eagles scored seven of 10 points to draw within three, 12-9, capped off by a Burk kill. Missouri State responded with a 9-1 run to take full control of the set as they went on to win 25-14.

The two squads traded the first six points of the fourth before three consecutive points gave ORU a 6-3 advantage. A Soares service ace gave the Golden Eagles their largest lead of the set at 18-13. The home team responded though with a 5-1 stretch to cut the lead to one, 19-18. Back-to-back kills by Freeman and Dunford stopped the bleeding as ORU went on to take set four, 25-21, forcing a decisive fifth game.
 
Facing a 6-3 deficit in the fifth, Freeman put down her 16th kill of the match to spark a 6-1 surge by the Golden Eagles. Four of the final five points went the way of ORU as Dunford finished off the victory for the Golden Eagles with her 14th kill.
 
Match Notes

• With the victory, the Golden Eagles are now 11-30 all-time against the Bears.
• Head Coach Frank Craig III is now 1-1 all-time against Missouri State.
• ORU closed out the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational with a 2-1 record. 
• LaCour and Freeman were named to the all-tournament team.
• Soares' double-double was her second of the season and 22nd of her career.
• Dunford notched her first double-double of 2022 and 12th of her career in the win.
• For the ninth time in her career, Freeman led the team in kills.

Up Next
The Golden Eagles return to action Friday, September 2 for day one of the Redbird Classic in Normal, Ill. ORU will face Illinois State at 10 a.m. followed by SEMO at 5 p.m.
 
For the latest information on ORU Volleyball, follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or go to www.ORUAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the ORU Athletics app from the App Store or Google Play Store.